Project Description
Deer Antler Manju Netsuke, by Gyokusai
Carved with a shishi gambolling beneath peony blooms, the central himotoshi at the back surrounded by a formal kiku surrounded by fanciful curlicues
Signed in a sunken reserve: Gyokusai. Tokyo. Circa 1870
Diameter: 4 cm
Meinertzhagen identifies three netsukeshi using this name, while Fuld identifies two. I am inclined to argue that there were at least four, one of them being this Asakusa artist. Judging from the two characters in the artist’s name and the stylistic similarities to the work of Kokusai, one assumes that he must have been another pupil of Gyokuyosai, unless Gyokuyosai himself worked under both names
MR4725
